The Short Answer
Northern Ireland uses PIP at the same rates as Great Britain, administered by the Personal Independence Payment Centre rather than the DWP. The activities, descriptors and points are the same. The mandatory reconsideration deadline is one calendar month from the date on the decision notice, and nidirect states it can be extended in exceptional circumstances.
What Is the Same
The table below sets out the position, with each figure taken from the source named beneath it.
| Great Britain | Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|---|
| Benefit | PIP | PIP |
| Daily living, 2026/27 | £76.70 / £114.60 | £76.70 / £114.60 |
| Mobility, 2026/27 | £30.30 / £80.00 | £30.30 / £80.00 |
| Administered by | DWP | PIP Centre, Department for Communities |
| Challenge stage 1 | Mandatory reconsideration, 1 month | Mandatory reconsideration, one calendar month |
Last checked: 6 August 2026
The Department Is the Difference
Northern Ireland has its own social security department. The Department for Communities runs PIP through the Personal Independence Payment Centre, and nidirect rather than GOV.UK is the authoritative guidance site.
That matters practically rather than legally. The contact details, the forms and the offices differ; the 12 activities, their descriptors and the 8 and 12-point thresholds do not. nidirect describes PIP as "a benefit which has replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people between 16 and State Pension age", which is the Great Britain position word for word.
Challenging a Decision
One calendar month from the date on the decision notice. nidirect states that "you must apply for a mandatory reconsideration within one calendar month of the date on your decision notice", and that "if you don't apply within this time limit, you may not be able to appeal against the decision".
It also states that "the time limit for applying for a mandatory reconsideration can be extended in exceptional circumstances", so a late request is worth making with the reasons attached rather than abandoned.
Last checked: 7 August 2026
Moving Between Nations
A move is reportable, and it can change which body pays you. Someone moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, or the reverse, tells the paying department and follows its instructions on continuing the award.
Someone moving to Scotland claims Adult Disability Payment instead, because Scotland replaced PIP for new claims. GOV.UK sets that transition at 13 weeks: PIP stops 13 weeks after the move, and ADP is applied for as soon as possible afterwards. Adult Disability Payment is a Scottish benefit and does not apply in Northern Ireland.
Last checked: 7 August 2026
What This Site Covers
The figures, the descriptors and the arithmetic apply in Northern Ireland; the process detail is written for Great Britain. The rates are identical and the activities are identical, so a points score and an arrears calculation carry across unchanged.
Where a page names the DWP, an office address or a GOV.UK route, the Northern Ireland equivalent is the PIP Centre and nidirect. Deadlines stated as 1 month are one calendar month there too, and the 2026/27 rates of £76.70, £114.60, £30.30 and £80.00 apply unchanged.
Last checked: 6 August 2026
Where This Sits
Scotland and Northern Ireland diverge from Great Britain in different directions: Scotland changed the benefit, Northern Ireland changed the department. Scotland's re-determination window is 42 calendar days; Northern Ireland's mandatory reconsideration window is one calendar month, the same as Great Britain's. The Scottish position is on check adult disability payment, and the contact routes are on contacting DWP.